Solace for kids: Delhi schools to go bagless once a week

With an objective to promote extra curricular activities among students, the schools under South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) will observe ‘Bagless Day’ once a week.

“Under the smart learning programme, we have introduced the concept of a bagless day when students will be encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities. This is an attempt to provide a different module of learning for better performance,” SDMC mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat was quoted as saying by a news daily.

Designed to discourage sedentary lifestyle among students, they will be asked not to bring bag to school one day in a week and that day will be reserved for activities such as quizzes, puzzle-solving and sports.

"We are yet to decide the different types of activities on the bagless day. It will be introduced from upcoming academic session,” she added.

At present, over 581 schools are catering to about 3 lakh students under the SDMC. Looking at the new module of learning in SDMC, other corporations in Delhi will also follow the same.

“Our focus is mainly on improving the quality of education at SDMC schools. There is a dip in enrollment due to mushrooming of public schools but in the few schools where we have introduced smart learning for children, we have received a good response,” Sehrawat said.

Other schools across the country will learn the smart mode of learning for children after Delhi takes the lead in going bagless a day every week.

According to a survey by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) in 2016, over 88 per cent of school children in India in the age group of 7-13 years carry more than 45 per cent of their weight on their backs. This, according to the survey, leads to serious spinal damage and irreversible back problems among kids in early stage.